Quit Smoking Aids

Posts Tagged ‘Smoking and children’

Nearly all smokers want to quit but cannot easily do so because of the addictive nature of the nicotine, the active crave-inducing ingredient in tobacco products. Just as the problem is widespread, there are many potential solutions. Some of them are covered here.

 Way back when, there was only self control. You simply stopped. The problem was, and still is, that this doesn’t work very well. The overwhelming urge to smoke keeps coming back. Nicotine is such a powerful addictive agent that it can overpower even a strong will to quit. Some studies put the success rate as low as five per cent.

 There has been a little better success with NRT’s, or nicotine replacement therapies, as they are properly known. NRT’s come in many forms. You can find gums, lozenges, sprays, and patches. They only lead to success in about ten per cent of the cases after a six month period. That’s double the rate of using no assistance at all but is still not impressive.

 There are supplements to take, such as Zyban and Wellbutin, that have also showed about a ten per cent effectiveness rate. However, when used concurrently with an NRT program, the rate just about doubles, to twenty per cent. That’s starting to become a bit more encouraging.

 New products are entering the market all the time. One such is the chemical varenicline, known by the trade names of Chantix or Champix. The makers claim a forty-four per cent success rate. While independent, and less biased, studies have yet to verify this; it does nonetheless offer hope.

 The internet seems to be everywhere in our daily lives these days and that’s also the case with stop smoking aids. Stay away from the ads that have suggestive language describing a supplement in terms such as “miracle” or “guaranteed to work for you.” Instead, look away from internet supplements and toward advice on programs that offer assistance, not an absolute cure.

 There are scientific terms, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapies, Hypnosis or Neuro-Linguistic Programming, among others, that describe techniques that have shown impressive success records. One reliable study concluded as high as seventy per cent success.

 Only you can stop smoking but when you decide you really want to, you should look into your options. Every one of them will not work for every person, and indeed some don’t work at all. But, there is help out there for you if you are ready to try to quit smoking.

Nearly all smokers would prefer to quit. Why then, don’t they? Obviously, it isn’t easy or there wouldn’t be much to discuss. It takes real will power to quit smoking. And for most, it also requires continuous support.

 One reason commonly cited for not quitting is the fear of weight gain. It is said that after quitting, food tastes so much better that people will eat a lot more. The reality is that some people do gain weight after they quit. However, others don’t and some people actually lose weight after quitting. This is because the overall stress on the body from smoking causes food to be improperly digested, which causes reduced insulin levels, which in turn can cause weight gain. Without the smoking the reverse sometimes occurs. Smokers should ignore the weight gain issue when they contemplate quitting. It is largely an excuse not to quit. Instead, exercise regularly, drink lots of water and maintain the normal diet, except only keep low fat snacks around to deal with the occasional cravings.

 Obsession with weight control just takes away your focus from the main point, which is to quit smoking. You need to focus on quitting. It often helps to put your reasons in writing and then review your writings at least daily. Most smokers say they want to feel physically healthier with better overall athletic fitness and stamina. As good a point as this is, don’t overlook the entirely mental and emotional side. When you quit, you are taking back control of your life. It is an exercise that will build your self esteem. The actual ritual of lighting up, and moving the lit cigarette to the mouth, which is followed by the inhalation of the addictive poisons, is psychological addiction followed by the physical. You must address the psychological side as well as the physical to be successful in quitting. For help, look forward not just to how much better your body will feel, but also how much better you will feel about yourself when you regain control.

 The process of quitting must begin from within you. It cannot succeed if it is only a reaction to others nagging at you to stop, not matter how sincere their intentions are. It is not an easy process and you likely do need their support, but the core of the incentive must come from you. Why do you smoke and why do you want to quit? Understand this and then, just do it!

Have you heard of lasers being used to help quit smoking? It’s a new treatment method, but it has already proven itself to be effective in many cases. It has been especially useful for those with a long term and/or severe addiction problem, but has shown impressive success rates throughout the entire spectrum of smokers.

 Think of laser treatments, with respect to helping you to quit smoking, as electronic acupuncture. Laser energy is applied to certain key areas of the nervous system and acts to eliminate the overwhelming need to smoke. Most smokers don’t want to smoke, they need to smoke. They want to quit but can’t because they have become physically addicted to the nicotine that’s in all tobacco products. The laser treatments address your addictive need. The alteration made to the nerves lessens or kills the addictive feeling that nicotine is a requirement. You still have to want to quit, but there is far less of the compelling need caused by the addiction. The process is said to be permanent.

 Be aware that laser treatments for smoking addiction are expensive when compared against other methods. And, they are not always covered by insurance so you need to be sure where you stand, financially speaking, first. There are many other methods used to stop smoking if you cannot afford laser treatments. Your doctor is the best source of advice in this area.

 If you think laser treatments may be right for you, you will need to start with your doctor who will advise you if you are a good candidate for this option. Also, if you are proceeding with laser treatments, your doctor can recommend other methods that you may utilize concurrently. The goal is to maximize the success rate and to minimize the time it takes to quit.

 The know-how is there to help you stop smoking, but you have to want to stop and to be willing to work at it. Scientific expertise will not do it alone, although it can give your efforts a substantial boost. Laser treatments are the latest technical breakthrough for dealing with smoking addiction.

 After learning about stop smoking laser treatments, what is keeping you from quitting? You should at least investigate this advanced option. While the process may or may not be for you, the sooner you know, the sooner you can begin to successfully quit.

Pretty much all smokers want to quit eventually. In the beginning it was desirable, but it doesn’t take long to become quite the opposite. The problem is that, during that transition period, the body becomes addicted to the poisons and it becomes much more difficult to quit. It doesn’t take very long to move from being the startup smoker, through the casual phase, and on to the addicted phase. Then you understand the damaging physical effects and decide you’d rather stop. Sadly, it’s not always so easy to quit.

 Smoking is detrimental to both your physical and to your emotional health. Not much to argue about here. But don’t lose sight of the financial impact as well. Especially for the young, where the additional income to support the habit may be hard to come by, it’s all too easy to cut back expenses in other facets of their lives than to quit the smoking addiction. Fortunately, there are some not so expensive ways to help your self to quit.

 Look to natural products. More and more, there are new herbs and diet supplements being introduced into the marketplace. Generally, they help the body purge the poisons that are ingested through the smoking process. Many are quite reasonably priced.

 The actual smoking of herbal products, rather than those made from tobacco, is gaining in popularity. It benefits by cutting down the consumption of nicotine, the primary addictive substance in tobacco. It also helps with the psychological side of the addiction, since the hand-to-mouth motion is still present. Smoking a cinnamon stick is inexpensive and can be effective.

 You may want to try hypnotherapy. This has been wildly successful for some, but not so much for others. It depends on the degree to which you are willing to give it an honest try, and also the degree to which your psychological profile is a good “fit.”  It’s easy to try. Visit a hypnotherapist who will plant subconscious thoughts in your mind about quitting when you are “under” and then, upon regaining consciousness, you will not have a desire to smoke. Sadly, it’s not for everyone, but it is worth a try.

 There is substantial stress associated with the process of quitting. Exercise causes the body to release chemicals into the bloodstream which serves to relax and sooth us. If you are not fit enough for rigorous exercise you can still perform yoga routines.

 Also, look to your diet for help. An overall healthy lifestyle is conducive to quitting. In addition to exercise, look to a balanced diet for help. Certain foods, like dark chocolate (watch the calories), even promote a feeling of well being.

 Don’t lose sight of the importance of a good mental attitude. To stop smoking is not always easy and it requires huge effort. First, understand why you want to quit and then remind yourself of the reasons often.

 Even if you are older and have been smoking for a long time, you can still quit. Just as there is no practical age limit on when you could have begun, there is not an age limit on when you can stop. However, the fact remains that the sooner you begin the process of quitting, the sooner you will be rid of the habit and the better you will feel. But you need to start the process. It will not begin by itself.

This sounds obvious, but in fact, many people start off on a stop smoking campaign without understanding where they are and why they want to quit.

To stop smoking is nearly never an easy effort. That’s because nicotine, the active ingredient in tobacco products, is highly addictive. Think of nicotine as a drug and its associated addiction as you would any other drug addiction. The changes it makes in your brain chemistry causes both the “good feelings” when used and also the “bad feelings” you get from trying to quit. If you have ever tried to quit, you know the feelings of anxiety, irritability and even depression that accompany a denied craving for nicotine.

 Therefore, it isn’t easy to quit. But if you are ready to try, there are many ways to get help. Start by writing down your reasons for quitting. Don’t kid yourself. Be honest. Admit to yourself, in writing, what you don’t like about yourself as a result of being a smoker. When you look at all the reasons laid right out in front of you, it will help strengthen your resolve to quit.

 Regardless of what method of assistance you choose, it will not succeed without your willpower. Keep your written notes handy for when your resolve wanes.

 Now you are ready to investigate the many assistance methods that are available to you. Sadly, some are expensive so you need to be conscious of your budget as well. But on the brighter side, some of the most effective techniques have little or no cost. One such is to join support groups. People who want to quit pretty much all have similar reasons for desiring to quit, so what is the point of hearing all over again what you already wrote down? Realizing that you are not alone out there is a positive inducement to succeed.

 There are many natural products that can help, and some are relatively inexpensive. Do a little research and seek help from a nutritionist to understand your choices.

 Over the counter quit smoking aids are readily available. They come in many forms such as sprays, lozenges, pills and patches. Mostly, they all have shown some success but not generally to the degree as advertised.

 Of course there are drugs available by prescription only that have been shown to work. Your doctor is the place to start. Some are powerful and have potentially undesirable side affects. Most are fairly expensive.

 For a long time acupuncture was thought to be in the realm of charlatans. Today however, it is recognized as having a place in many treatment regimens, including nicotine addiction. The effects of acupuncture on quitting seem to be enhanced when taken together with one of the above methods.

Regardless the methods you choose, it is absolutely essential that they are accompanied on your part by a strong will to stop smoking. There is virtually no evidence showing that any method works by itself. They all require your strong resolve.